A Sight For Sore Eyes
by Ginevra Magdalene Katnis Eaton
Summary: Bela and Jasper have been friends since they were little but then she moved away and time passed. "I hate you," I muttered and finally he flinched, it sent of wave of satisfaction through me. I felt his breath stop for a second and his body tense at my words
1. Chapter 1

**I have been working on a new story ( . this one) and writing blog posts for my … blog, obviously, which is linked on my profile so please, please check that out and tell me what you think and I went camping with my friends and my laptop went into repair so I do have reasons, I haven't died! For this story please note that I'm English and have never visited America so please don't kill me if some of the facts are wrong plus I dropped History when I started Year 10 (14-15 year 10 is in England) and even when I did it we focused more on British History than anything. Yeah, so please don't kill me if something is wrong. I have researched things so if it's something you think I would have researched, it would be my sources. This is my second attempt at writing this story so… Anyway, you can read now.**

I sighed heavily as I tried to focus on my stitching, the sun was glaring harshly down on the white material and it was reflecting back into my eyes. It was such a beautiful day, as it often was in Texas, so I was sitting on the porch. However, doing this meant that everyone who went past greeted me, I didn't mind it was lovely, but it made it even harder to concentrate on something that I found such a bore. Of course, it wasn't these people's faults that every time I saw a honey blond haired man my thoughts spiralled back into my childhood, to my best friend - Jasper Whitlock.

Jasper was a golden blond haired boy with laughing brown eyes and we had been inseparable when we lived next door to each other. Jasper was a year my senior but it didn't matter to us nor did it matter than I was female while he was not. We moved however when I was five years of age and I was heartbroken (as much as a five year old can be) at the thought of leaving Jasper. We promised each other we'd write but, of course, a five year olds' promise is rarely kept. I don't even remember awfully clearly what he looked like now-a-days except those two facts. In my defence I am now fifteen so it's been ten long years since I had said goodbye to him crying my eyes out and feeling as though my world was ending - I was a dramatic child at times.

The reason my thoughts were so easily flittering to my past best friend (who, if I was honest with myself, I haven't though off for around eight years): we were moving back to Houston. That was where I used to live but this time it wouldn't be next door to Jasper. However, I was beyond words about going back. Houston would always be where my heart laid: it was home. Not that I wouldn't be sad to leave this place - I had some great friends here, I had a life here, a school, but it had just never felt like home.

I had yet to see where we were moving to but I knew it was in the centre of Houston, we had risen in the our level of class since we had last lived there. We had owned a large farm at the edge of the city, just next to Jasper's, back then. It had extended over acres of land so we had had workers to help out of the land for it was far too much work for Daddy to do on his own - Mama wasn't allowed to help and Mary-Alice, my little sister, and I were too young. We really needed another man in the family but my parents had agreed to stop at two when they married and that idea was just enforced when they almost lost Mary-Alice. I had grown into city life since we moved to Victoria but I do still miss living on the farm: the freedom of all that land and the games that the out-building's had provided me and Jasper with. We would hide in the barns, mess up the straw, climb trees in the orchard. It had been years since I'd climbed a tree - I wasn't sure that I was still able to. I wonder if Jasper still climbs the trees on his farm at time, if they even still live there. It was probable that they did since that farm had been in Jasper's mother's family forever.

"Howdy, Miss Swan," a voice called from the path and I looked up to see Mike Newton, a boy who toed the line of how he should act around me and often overstepped it. He thinks he likes me but I'm really not his type. He titled his hat when I met his eyes. "Lovely mornin', isn't it?"

"Simply divine," I called back friendly though with a hint of sarcasm that he didn't catch, he never did, as he continued on his way.

I sat there for at least another half an hour before glancing at the clock on the tower. It was almost five in the afternoon so Mama would be starting dinner. I packed away and entered the house to help cook the last dinner we would have in this house.

The house was rather empty now, most of the furniture had been sent over to Houston since we were leaving tomorrow morning at dawn leaving only our bed's and the kitchen furniture here. The drapes were gone from all the rooms, the sofa from the lounge, Daddy's desk, nearly all of my books - it was like a constant reminder walking around the house that we would be leaving. I had discovered while packing that we had left Houston last time on November 29th of the year 1850, it was strange that we were now moving back exactly 10 years later - tomorrow would be November 29th of 1860.

Mama was cutting up some carrots from the yard when I entered the kitchen but looked up when I entered with a soft smile on her ageing face. Without being asked I took over the simple job so she could start of something else that I had yet to learn how to do. We worked in silence for a while until my little sister came dancing into the room.

Dinner was the loudest meal in our household because at breakfast we were all too tired to hold a conversation and at lunch Mary-Alice and I were at school. Dinner was when we shared everything about our days and Daddy always had the best stories being the Sheriff .

We all went to bed early that evening. Mama and Daddy at one end of the house and me and Mary-Alice in the other with rooms whose doors opened facing each other.

**I didn't actually mean for it to be exactly 10 years to date since they left Houston but I made a timeline for the story and oddly enough I had chosen the same date for them moving. This is a really short chapter but please keeping reading, I think they get better.**


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up the next morning to a candle light and my 12 year old sister bouncing on my bed to walk me up, already dressed, and Mama hovering in the doorway.

"For someone so excited to be goin' back, it's weird that you're the last one up, honey," Mama laughed.

I was over the moon about going back but that didn't mean I wanted to be up at an ungodly hour to do so. I loved my sleep. My world practically revolved around my books and my sleep.

"Mary-Alice, dear, get off of yore sister so she can get ready to leave," Mama said and Mary-Alice was off me in seconds though she didn't leave the room when Mama did.

"What's wrong, Munchkin?" I asked her as I gathered my clothes for the day - easy since they were the only pieces of clothing left in my built-in wardrobe while I was in there I changed out of my nightgown and into my chemise.

Mary-Alice helped tied my corset while she spoke, "nothin's wrong, I think somethin' good's goin' to happen. I'm rather nervous though, new place - you at least are goin' to have friends there, I'll know no-one"

"Don't be silly, Alice," I shot her a look sitting down next to her to pull my stocking's on. "We're goin' to be in a completely different part of Houston to the area I knew, we'll be two pea's in a pod you and I. Besides, you make friends so easily, you're impossible to dislike, it's me whose goin' to have the problems."

She laughed and I smiled as I stood up to pull on my pantalets and boots

"Don't fret so much, Munchkin," I began to assure her, "everythin' will be fine. Now help me with this hoop that way you can be useful. Then, once I'm finished dressin', I'll do yore hair, though I do think it's it stupid that we have to dress up just for travelling - whose goin' to see us?"

Mary-Alice laughed lightly - she found my hatred for 'being presentable' such an amusement. We were opposites in that respected: she loved dressing up and I detested it with a passion, every morning was a chore with our ten-layer attire. She hoped up as she laughed and tied my hoop tightly - normally I would assist her in dressing before she helped me but Mama had beaten me to it today.

I quickly threw on my blue underskirt, my white tiered see-through ruffle skirt and my ice-blue dress which was open at the back and had pick-up's around the front before dragging Mary-Alice over to my dressing table to pin her long straight black locks in a up do at the base of her neck. I spent less time on my own and then we hurried to the kitchen. Mama had clearly decided not to cook a full breakfast this morning because there was bread and jam sat on the table - Daddy already eating away. We joined quickly after kissing him good morning.

Surprisingly we left on schedule - a first for our family since Mama was so flighty and hare-brained and Daddy had no sense of time at all - Daddy was just helping us all into the carriage as the sun rose. I had brought a book to read during the journey since it was a days carriage ride; Mama and Mary-Alice had brought something as well, though Mama would spend a lot of the journey talking to Daddy or, and this was true for all of us, catching up on the few hours sleep we had lost for getting up so early. We travelled in one carriage, the rest of our stuff in trunks on the roof - it shows how little had been left in the house.

I opened my book gently, it was a very old copy of my favourite book Pride and Prejudice, making sure none of the weak pages broke in the action. The spine was completely destroyed and some of the pages were ripped, Mama kept saying that she'd get me a new one but I didn't really want a new one - this was my copy, my book, that I've had for as long as I could remember.

"Bela, Lamb, we're here," Daddy shook me awake after what only felt like a few seconds since I'd dropped off.

It was dark outside so you couldn't see a great deal but I could see the vague outline of a large house and stared warily up at it. The carriage drew to a half and the door opened. Daddy stepped down. We didn't move out the carriage but fixed our hats upon our heads. Daddy eventually reached back and extended his hand to us. Mama went first, I followed her and Mary-Alice steps out after me.

"Welcome home, girls," Daddy spread his arms towards the house.

Mary-Alice and I glanced at each other, clutching our carpet bags which we had just been handed. Excited as I was about being back, there was also a nervousness to it - what if this place had lost its magic?


	3. Chapter 3

It was a different sort of magic that Houston had now, I put it down to the fact that it wasn't the edge of Houston, the country, but the centre, the town.

I woke up this morning and walked out of to the bay window in my room, which was at the front of the house, and stared out of it. It was such a beautiful view - a park - with a lake and trees and these pretty wildflowers that I'd only ever seen in Houston. We had spent the majority of the morning organising the house, moving in the final bits and unpacking the boxes. Daddy, of course, did all the heavy lifting and we even had the Mason's (the family that lived across the road) come to help us - Edward and Elizabeth Mason with their son, Edward Jr, who was the same age as me. Mrs Mason and I set up the kitchen, Mama and Mary-Alice the bedrooms and Daddy with the two Mr Masons did the rest of the furniture and all the heavy lifting. Mrs Mason ever brought breakfast for us since she knew we wouldn't have the kitchen set up - it was mighty kind of her.

Once the setting up was done, Mama and Mrs Mason pushed Edward and I out of the door, only just allowing us to gather our hats. Edward didn't place his hat on his head instead held it in one hand and offered me his other elbow once I'd done up my bonnet. Luckily, I had spent enough time in his company this morning so it wasn't as awkward as it could have been.

"Walk in the park, Miss Isabela?" he asked, gesturing with his head towards it. His house bordered the park on the other side of the road.

"Yes, alright," I smiled, slipping my hand into the crook of his arm. "So, why are our parents pushin' us out the house so quickly? Our Mama's seemed unusually eager."

Edward chuckled and I allowed myself to admit that it did sound rather like music.

"I'm not supposed to know but…" he paused for a minute as though he wasn't sure whether to tell me before he glanced back at my house. We were just entering the park now so far enough away the we wouldn't be overheard. "They've been sendin' letters, they want us to 'hit it off' for lack of better term."

"Oh," was all I could think to say in response to that - what else could I say? I hadn't known this boy for even a full day yet.

Edward was kind, I would admit, and helpful. He was handsome, I admitted, with a strange bronze coloured hair that he had inherited from his mother and these enchanting green eyes but I didn't feel drawn it him in anyway. Not like I always imagined I would when I met someone I was romantically interested in. I imagine butterflies and the warm feeling where he touched that I read about in my books - maybe that was a fiction.

"I quite like the idea now I've met you," he smiled down at me for he was quite a bit taller and seemed to read my expression easily, "but it seems quite a shock to you. I can take you home if ya want, I suppose you'll want to think."

I blinked rapidly.

"No, it's fine, let's walk round the lake," I forced out, knowing I would be bombarded with questions when I returned to the house.

It took us about an hour to walk all the way round the lake and I did get to know him a bit better. I could already see that Edward was stubborn and that he enjoyed a whole range of music with the exception of country - he played to piano and promised to play for me at one point. He enjoys reading as well and was particularly interested in science, business and other countries. They weren't from Houston original and had move to here when he was 12, going on 13, from Austin.

His parents had already left our house when we returned so Edward dropped me off on my covered porch before walking confidently across the road to his own house. I sighed heavily opening the door and entered my own house in a daze, dropping my bonnet on the hat stand at the door.

"Mama!" I called from the foyer, glancing left to see if she was in the living room. She wasn't.

"Bela?" I looked up to see her leaning on the handrail about me. Beside the stairs it was completely open so from above you could see straight down in the foyer. "Is everythin' okay?"

"Is Daddy here?" The door opened behind me and I felt a large had rest of my head. "Good afternoon, Daddy."

"Good afternoon yourself, Bele," he chuckled removing his hand from my head.

Mama quickly descended to stairs and Mary-Alice danced behind her clearly wanting to know why I wanted both our parents.

"You wanna talk about Edward, don't you, honey?" Mama always knew what I wanted to talk about before I even opened my mouth.

"He seems like a good lad," Daddy told me as he gestured us all into the lounge. "He would make a good husband for you, Bela."

"Yes, Daddy, Edward would make a fine husband -" I began but Mary-Alice interrupted me having caught on to what was going on

"Bela has gentleman callers?" she asked gleefully.

"Not now, sugar," Daddy stopped her from going off on a rant, he turned back to me. "Then what's the problem with us wantin' ya to have a fine husband who will take care of ya"

"Nothin', Daddy, but -" I began again feeling slightly bad but Mama stopped me this time.

"Sweetheart, it's was just a hope," she tried to calm me, "ya don't have to marry Edward if there's nothin' there. We just thought he would make a good match for ya, ya cain't fault us for that."

"I don't," I assured her.

"Just give him some thought, Bela," Daddy added.

"Ya have a year before yore eligible for marriage anyway,' Mama was off again, "we'll throw a grand do for it. Announce ya to respectable society and celebrate ya birthday. Ya'll hafta have an escort for such a party - Edward would at least be good for that, if ya got to know him a bit. "

"Bela's not going to end with him," Mary-Alice grinned and that seemed to be the end of the discussion - Mary-Alice was rarely wrong about anything.


	4. Chapter 4

I was right about Mary-Alice making quick friends here. In the first week of school she'd met two sisters, Abagail and Amelia McCarty, and those three were already inseparable - the 3 A's, Abagail, Alice and Amelia. Abagail was a year younger than Mary-Alice and Amelia a year older. I had yet to learn much about them except that they came for a big family that owned a farm - they were still quite rich though so their parents sent them to this school so the children could get a good education. As far as I was aware there was eight children, five boys and three girls, plus their parents.

Me, on the other hand, I was still a bit of a loner mainly because I spent my breaks reading rather than talking with the rest of my peers and in class I kept my head down and my mouth closed. I got stared at enough without drawing unwanted attention to myself.

I had one familiar face, Angela Weber, who was my closest female friend when I was little since she was quite similar to me. Neither of us had even me loud or screamy or gossipy or clothes orientated, we had much preferred silence or quiet games. I had been surprised to hear her name on the register the first day, she wasn't a farm girl but she used to live just inside town so her parents mingled with us a bit. Clearly she had moved as well in the 10 years I had been gone further into town.

I hadn't seen a hide nor hair of Jasper or his twin sister Rosalie but I hadn't really expected to in this area of town. Dr and Mrs Whitlock kept out of town on the whole unless Jasper's father was filling in for one of the doctors. He had qualifications to be a doctor and had been for about a year before Jasper and Rosalie were born but then Jasper's maternal grandparents died and he left that to keep it running.

I missed Dr and Mrs Cullen, I was so close to Jasper that they had been like second parents to me. His twin on the other hand, we tolerated each other but we were very different children back then. I got on better with Jasper, climbing trees, running around the farm, than I did her and her obsession, even at 5/6, with her looks. Rosalie and I treated each other like most people treated the siblings friends, with kindness but no real interest.

"Bela," Angela nudged me and I snapped back to the present to see my class packing up or already out of the classroom door, "we can leave."

She smiled at me and then took her leave, I quickly packed up my bag and hurried to Mary-Alice's class. She was standing outside waiting for me with two girls, one with frizzy brown hair and blue eyes, the other with layered black hair and green eyes. They didn't look greatly alike but I assumed this must be Amelia and Abagail McCarty. If I looked close enough they did have similar features - a thin, pointed face and small round eyes.

"Bela!" Mary-Alice called as soon as she saw me, she gestured me over widely as though I wasn't already heading hurryingly towards her. "These are my friends, Abagail" - she pointed to the girl with black hair who did look a bit younger than Amelia - " and this is Amelia. This is my elder sister, Bela."

"Hi," I smiled down at them. "How are you girls?"

"Good, thank you, Miss Bela," Amelia replied. "We should go, Emmett, our elder brother, is really impatient but we wanted to keep Alice company till you got here."

"That's kind of you," I thanked her. "Go on, hurry off, tell yore brother I apologise for being late out of my class."

The two girls quickly said goodbye to us and then hurried away toward where I could see the bear-like figure of a man with short, curly black hair. Mary-Alice smiled up at me and took my hand, a clear sign that she was also ready to leave.

"What's for dinner tonight, Bela?" she asked me as we began to walk towards our home.

Mama rarely cooked dinner because she experimented with the food so much - I had taken over most nights as soon as Daddy deemed me old enough. I was the much safer option since you never knew what my mother was going to put on the table.

"I hadn't though 'bout it, what would you like?"

There was a pause while she thought.

"Bangers and mash!"

I laughed: Mary-Alice would have that for every meal if she could. The walk to our house didn't take very long from the school even though we were still a bit confused on the way - Edward had been kind enough to walk us last week but he wasn't in school today leaving us to figure it out alone. We returned home only slightly later than we usually would.

Mary-Alice danced to Mama's side when we got into the house, for a twelve year old she really did cling to Mama. Mama was gardening and I could hear Daddy upstairs in his office which was actually meant to be a bedroom so I hovered for a minute debating what to do. I had finished the book I was reading last night and I needed to buy a new one since I'd read all the ones that I had, it was too early to start dinner and there was no way I was going to do some stitching.

"Bela," Mama's voice floated into the room from outside, "there's a letter for ya on the table."

Well, there was something to do.


	5. Chapter 5

Christmas was coming up so now my house was in the rush of putting up decorations as it was the first weekend of December. Mary-Alice and I were baking little treats for the neighbours, Daddy was trying to haul the tree into the house and get it into the tree stand and Mama was decorating the house in arrays of decoration - Mama's interior design ideas were always interesting. Bright and colourful were her usual way so it looked like the sun had just exploded over the room but at Christmas sparkles were added to the mix and every surface was covered with fake snow though it rarely ever snowed in Texas. I don't know if Mary-Alice has ever seen it but I have once back when I was friends with Jasper and I had been sure the world was ending.

The carollers had already started up and the main Christmas tree was being put up in the square. Elizabeth had been round the first day of December bringing us Christmas goods. Edward had accompanied her and it was clear that she still hoped we would hit it off. I hadn't spoken to Edward too much since that day in the park and my response to him saying his liked the idea of us together was to say "my little sister, who's rather good with the future I might add, said I'm not goin' to end up with you, sorry." He had chuckled but I could tell he was little put out.

We were still friends despite that and we were spending Christmas with their family since I had no other family besides the immediate ones that I live with and the Mason were from Austin so all their family was up there. Thus we were joining together and having one large Christmas all together which would be a change.

Over the next week, Mary-Alice and I made our way around our little area of Houston delivering baskets of sweet things to the people within it. There were so many different characters even in our small part: you had that cliché old lady who owned loads of animals and whose husband died many years ago; there was a lady who had outlived all her children and now buried herself in her books; a middle-aged man who lived a massive house all of his own and strutted round the like a prince; there was ranging ages of families though we and the Masons were the only ones with children mine and Mary-Alice's age, the rest were either older or younger; and finally there was a just married couple. Some weren't so happy to see us, others chatted before sending us away with a beaming smile.

Christmas day itself was different than usual considering the extra people that were present. It gave everything a bit more of a festive atmosphere and it was slightly louder. Mama, Mrs Mason and I spent most the day in the kitchen cooking the dinner but I did get a break to spend some time with Mary-Alice who actually seemed quite happy to sit and chat to Edward all day.

By the end of the day though we were all completely exhausted and no-one stayed up very late.

**Sorry about the shortness of this one but this chapter is moving so slowly and I just want to get on with the story.**


	6. Chapter 6

The new year came and passed quickly and, before I knew it, it was my sixteenth birthday. Mary-Alice had already turned thirteen, finally entering teenage years and Edward has turned sixteen back in June. The last few months had been filled with Mama planning the ball they were throwing for my birthday, which was tomorrow, and I was dreading it - I didn't like dancing. Well that's a lie: I liked dancing, I just wasn't very good at it. Another problem with it was that a portion of my family celebration day was taken away as I tried on my dress and Mama thought about what to do with my hair. Plus I didn't like attention - yep, that would be a fun evening. Edward, as had been the plan since last year, was going to be escort and all of the high families were invited as well as the McCarty's. I felt Mama also had a secret that she was keeping me but I didn't question it.

My family was aware of my hatred of attention so they hadn't fawned over my birthday, there had been a few presents that I had had accepted gracefully once they had told me they'd spent no money and we had had a cake but otherwise it was just a normal day apart from we spent the day all together rather than scattered about doing our own things. For example, Mary-Alice had made me a beautiful necklace that had a star shaped flower pendant with a pale blue gem in the centre, I wasn't sure how she'd managed to make it but it was so pretty.

The day was gone quickly and now I'm standing at the top of the stairs with my family waiting at the bottom. Taking a deep breathe, and begging myself not to fall, I took a step to the top of it and heard Mary-Alice gasp.

"Wow."

She had yet to see me in my dress which was a powder blue full sweep gown with gathered lace at the shoulders and satin ribbon around the waist. The skirt itself had a lace ruffle trim and had little satin bow accents. I smiled down at her, feeling her necklace in the hollow of my throat.

Daddy came up to meet me.

"Are you ready to go, honey?" his voice was gruff and I nodded in reply.

He linked my hand through his elbow and escorted me down the rest of the stairs. I hadn't noticed but Edward and the Masons were here as well.

"You look beautiful, Miss Bela," Edward grinned a crooked smile at me and I returned it widely though blushing severely.

"Thank you," I whispered in reply and saw Elizabeth smile wider.

Eventually we managed to leave the house and clambered into carriages to go to the place my parents had hired to throw the party - a large hall with painted walls, wide staircases at one end of the room and the room was decorated in the bouquets I had received for being presented. The staircases were odd you had two narrower ones coming from the upper balcony to meet at the next level and then one more, a big one, that went to floor. I swallowed: that was just asking for me to trip. Mama seemed to read my expression and made me practice. Daddy and I would start on the top level and Edward would stand at the bottom of the left staircase on the next. Then Daddy would lead me down the right stairs to Edward who would hold my hand as I curtsied to the guests before leading me down the final staircase. The good thing? I would never have to walk down a step on my own; there would always be someone to catch me.

It took me a few tries to get the curtsy right as it wasn't your everyday one. We spent a little while practicing that. Daddy would announce me once he had handed me to Edward and then I would curtsy but soon the guests began to arrive and I disappeared with Daddy leaving Mama and Mary-Alice to deal with them.

"Deep breath, Bels," Daddy whispered to me when it came for us to step out and I tried to obey.

I heard Mama speak, "can everyone turn their attention to the stairs please." then a shuffle of movement and finally silence. My grip on Daddy's arm tightened as he began to walk forward. I tried not to look at the size of the crowd that had gathered and focus on Daddy's firm, guiding hand leading me down the first set of stairs. There was whispering and I tried to block it out. Eventually, I reached Edward and he smiled calmingly at me as he took my hand.

"May I present my daughter, Isabela Gracie-Marie Swan," Daddy said releasing my other hand.

I swallowed and slowly lowered my forehead toward the floor by crossing by and ankles then bending my knees and sinking. I grasped Edward's hand hard enough that I'm sure it hurt but there was no way I was going to go over. When I go low enough I turn my head to the side so I didn't get make up on my dress. Everyone clapped and slowly I began to make my way up.

"There you did it," Edward whispered to me as he lead me down the final stairs.

I sighed as my feet reached flat ground and pulled my head up to smile at the guests.

Around an hour later, I collapsed into a seat tired from failing at dancing and noticed Mary-Alice dancing with Edward. She was dressed in a pink satin and lace gown - the lace going diagonally over the bodice and covering the skirt and a long pink sash fell from the waist. She was laughing and her eyes shinning and I smiled softly. Mary-Alice was always happy but I'd never seen her look at anyone how she was looking at Edward in this moment. Edward was grinning as well, spinning her under his arm in time with the rest of the dancers.

"You look absolutely, drop dead gorgeous, Miss Bele," a voice said from behind me and I felt my smile widen - I knew this voice.

I knew the voice straight away though I'd never properly heard it before but it was _his_ nickname for me. The voice was deeper, more masculine, but still held the same tone and familiarity to it. I turned slowly in my seat and smiled sweetly up at the person speaking to me, blonde waves intact, eyes still shinning the way they always had. Jasper.

"Thank you kindly, Mr Whitlock,' I mocked him for his use of 'Miss', "and, my, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

A lazy grin drifted across his somehow still familiar face and I felt my own soft smile widen slowly as I studied my old friend. His face was, of course, older, it had been ten years after all but I could still see that little boy I used to know hidden in this mans features, the brown eyes still shone with mischief and laughter and his smile was still the tiniest bit crooked so it looked like he was smirking even if he wasn't. I felt my stomach flip.

"Care to dance, Bele?" he offered me his hand and I full-out beamed at him now, happily placing my hand in it.

**Yay, Jasper! I've been waiting so impatiently to get to this part.**


	7. Chapter 7

We got to dance floor just as another song started, a lot slower the last one, and I glanced up at Jasper, checking he still wanted to dance. He smiled down at me for he was now at least a head taller and pulled me gently into the dancing position.

"I'm warning you, Jazz," I said using his nickname since I was now close enough to whisper to him. "I can't dance."

His warm chuckle sounded and I found myself smiling, he leant down so he could mutter in my ear.

"I missed you, Bele."

I blushed again and for a moment I felt a strange feeling in my stomach but I pushed it aside - this was Jasper. Jasper could not make me blush and he could not make me feel the way I had read about in books. I looked up at him - I was not attracted to him, I couldn't be.

Without realising it I had began to follow Jasper's lead in dancing for the last few minutes and I was yet to fall. I watched my feet for a few minutes more before I managed to look up at him to see his amused expression. I resisted the urge to swat at him for it.

"See," he chuckled the way he always used to, "you can dance."

"Only with you it seems," that seemed to make him smug.

Jasper and I had learned to dance together which could explain why I found it so easy. He had been one of those boys who refused to dance with his sister so we had learnt together under his Mama's, Esme, instructions and expertise. She and her husband were always beautiful dancers, graceful and in time with the music and so in love with each other that they let of a beam of happiness and content just watching them. I had been entranced when I was little sat balls just watching the two of them dance together. It was probably a good things Esme had taken it on herself to teach me to dance as well because my parents weren't the greatest dancers in the world, nowhere near as beautiful as Esme and Carlisle.

Jasper seemed to have inherited their ability to dance flawlessly since I managed to get through the whole dance with injuring myself or Jasper and for the first dance of the evening I was sorry when the music finished. Jasper didn't seem willing to let me go either but when another man came and asked for a dance I couldn't decline. I wasn't meant to dance more than one dance with any one man. I tried to convince myself that my hand did not feel empty when Jasper let go. I saw Jasper shoot him a friendly, stern but teasing look so they must have known each other.

"Sorry, I just really wanted to talk to you," the man in front of me laughed starting to dance and I looked up at him (he was so tall!) in surprise at how casual he was being. "I'm Emmett McCarty -"

"Oh, Alice's friends brother, right?" I clicked.

I knew I had recognised him - how many other men could have such a bear like frame. Now I knew who he was I could see the similarities between him and his sisters. He had the small curls as Amelia though his were the same shade of black as Abagail's and also the same eye shade as Amelia - a soft, baby blue colour.

"Yeah," he nodded, grinning widely at me. "I'm also Rosalie's husband."

"Rosalie?" I asked though I knew exactly who he meant. "As in Rosalie Whitlock, Jasper's twin?"

"Yep," he grinned proudly. "So is my little brother-in-law a good dancer?" - I felt my cheeks heat up at his teasing tone, he must have noticed that I wasn't feeling particularly platonic feeling for my childhood friend - "Don't worry, I won't tell him. Rose on the other hand…"

I managed to laugh meekly and said firmly, "I don't have feelings for Jasper Whitlock."

"Sure, sure, Bels," he laughed in a carefree way that showed he really didn't believe me and my eyebrows rose slightly as he used a nickname. "He might, however."

I shook my head with a smile and the dance ended so I curtsied to him gently and went to find Mama. She was sitting with a few of her friends that she had made here and they all beamed as I approached. I was diverted however by caramel hair blocked my vision and arms that seemed to be trying to squeeze the life out of me. I heard a man chuckle.

The person hugging me pulled back and I recognised Jasper's Mama. It was obviously his Daddy that laughed - he had often been amused by his wife's beautiful and over-dramatic displays of affections.

"Hello, Esme," I laughed.

"Oh, Bela, dear, you look so charming," Esme beamed at me stroking my hair. "So grown up and so beautiful, you've turned into the beautiful young swan, don't you think so, Carlisle? "

"You look delightful, Bela," he smiled over at me and Esme released me so I could hug him as well.

I spent at least an hour talking to them and Rosalie who had appeared at some point. It saddened me that Jasper didn't and that I didn't see him for the rest of the party. I really didn't want to lose him again and I probably would if I didn't see him again tonight since he would go back home with his parents and maybe, hopefully, he'd think about me for a few weeks before he fall back into his regular life, a life that didn't cross with mine.


	8. Chapter 8

I was woken up the next morning to a thud hitting wood and felt a smile lifting my features. There was another one and I slowly got up, trying to not to stumble in my sleepiness, it couldn't be _him_ but then Edward would never throw stones at the window. I pulled my dressing gown on and opened the window and then the shutters, leaning out to get a look at the yard. _It was him_. Jasper Whitlock was standing in my garden, dressed as he would be on the farm (strange since last night he was dressed so fancy though they didn't completely fit him) with a handful full of stones from the gravel driveway.

"Jasper Whitlock," I whisper-shouted down to him, "in the name of god what are you doin'?"

"Good mornin', Bele," he grinned up at me shielding his eyes against the sun so he could see better. "Come for a walk with me."

I glanced back in the window and then back at him, a grin slipping onto my face. My parents would be furious if they woke up to find me gone but then it was Jasper. I battled in my mind for a little while.

"Give me a few minutes," I called down to him, feeling giddy.

I got dressed as quickly as I could, using a corset that was already laced up, and ran down the stairs, trying my hardest to be as quite as possible. I grabbed any bonnet as I opened the door and then ran to meet Jasper. He was standing exactly where I'd left him except that he had turned to face the front door. I grinned as I got closer and threw myself into his arms.

"What are you doin' here so early?" I questioned him, pulling back.

"Well," he said, offering me his arm which I took and began to walk towards the park, "since we didn't have a chance to catch up last night, I thought I'd catch you early so we could before you got pulled into whatever you do with your days."

"Sit around," I smiled, "read, help Mama 'bout the house, stitch, sketch, spend time with Edward Mason - this is nice change and I'd love to catch up with you. I thought you'd disappear once last night was over."

"And leave you again?" he grinned down at me. "Nah, that's no fun."

I felt blood rush to my cheeks.

We had entered the park now and began to walk around the lake. I sighed as I remember that last time I had walked round this with a boy. Edward, my first full day here. This was much preferred.

"So Rose is married," I said eventually breaking through the comfortable silence that had fallen over us. "I met her husband last night."

"Yeah, mental, isn't it?" Jasper chuckled.

"Just a tad."

We chatted about silly things as we walked around but eventually talk turned to what we had been doing while we'd been apart and turned out not much had happened really. Life had just continued as it always had. Jasper had been helping out on the farm a lot recently and Rose had moved out leaving the house quieter. He found my stories of the city a lot more interesting though he didn't seem like he understood how I could there so long - Jasper was a completely country boy, he always had been.

We steadily walked back to the house and by the sun I judged that it was midday - my parents were going to be worried sick. Jasper walked me straight to the door.

"Bele?" he whispered and I looked up to look at him, sucking in a breathe in at how close he was. "This is going to sound really strange considering we're probably meant to be disgusted with each other because we knew each other when we were children and because we've only known each again for a couple of hours -"

"Jasper, sit it out," I muttered to him trying to keep my breathing steady, something that was proving a difficult task with him so close that I could feel the heat radiating off him.

He took a breathe and placed a hand on my cheek, "may I … kiss you?"

It was my turn to take a breath. Now what? Emmett was sure I was attracted to Jasper and that he had feelings for me but was I really going to trust a boy I'd never meet before that night on my feelings. Jasper was Jasper, he was my Jasper, my childhood friend, this boy that I had spent the first five years of life in the presence off. He was right - shouldn't we be disgusted by each other? Because I wasn't. If anything, going my books, I did have feelings for him. He made my stomach flip, his touch caused butterflies and warm burning sensations, when his hair fell over his eyes it took all my strength not to brush it out for him, when he had let go of my hand last night it felt cold and empty. By my books, I had feelings for him but did I? Was I really willing to find out either? I looked back up into his burning brown eyes and swallowed and finally nodded.

The corner of his mouth lifted up for a second before he slowly closed the gap between our lips. As soon as his lips touched mine, I had to agree with Emmett. I felt as though my whole body was on fire - in a good way- and threw my arms around his neck, pulling myself closer to him. His other arm, for one had still rested on my cheek, snaked around my waist holding me where I was pressed against his body. My fingers were tangling themselves in his hair when I heard footsteps coming towards my front door and I pulled back, terrified that it was Daddy.

Jasper looked down at me as I pulled back and grinned me which I couldn't returning fully. His arms just dropped as Mama pulled the door open looking panicky.

"Jasper Whitlock!" she gasped and Jasper tipped his hat her.

"Mrs Swan," he bowed his head and kissed her hand, leaving Mama looking rather flustered.

"I take it was you who stole my daughter at an ungodly hour?"

"Oh, of course, Ma'am," Jasper didn't even seem apologetic and I could feel my cheeks heating up for no reason I was actually aware off - probably remembering why he wasn't sorry. Mama seemed to have no idea what she had just interrupted, "but you know I'd allow no harm to come to Bele."

That was a well known fact when we were younger: Jasper was a year older than me and so he always thought it his responsibility to protect me.

"Yes," Mama smiled. "Isabela, get in the house please and tell your father you're home. Oh, and, Jasper, next time you wish to speak to my daughter please make sure she tells someone she's goin' out first."

I rushed inside without looking at Jasper, knowing Mama was madder than she was letting on, but I still heard Jasper speak.

"Don't blame, Bele, Mrs Swan, it's my fault, really."


	9. Chapter 9

2 months and 17 days later I was bawling my eyes out, hitting Jasper weakly on the chest as he held me. He didn't even flinch as my fists hit him but I didn't really want to hurt him. Right now I did but I was sure I wouldn't once I had calmed.

"Why?" I yelled at him, my voice sounding strange as tears punctured that one word in places. "Why? Jasper, why would you do this?"

My sobs worsened and he pulled me closer to him, effectively stopping my assault on him b pinning my arms between our bodies. He buried his face in my hair as all the fight left me and I wrapped my arms around him, my throat hurting from crying so much and my stomach feeling strange from doing so as well.

"I'm sorry, darlin'," Jasper whispered into my hair softly, swaying us from side to side. "Honestly, I am."

"I hate you," I muttered and finally he flinched, it sent of wave of satisfaction through me.

I felt his breathe stop for a second and his body tense at my words but right now I couldn't feel guilty about it, I didn't have it in me to: not when he was leaving, not when he had signed up for the god-damned civil war when he wasn't even of age to do so without even warning me, not when he was leaving me. He was sorry then why had he done it?

I didn't hate him, though, I loved him with all I had to give but that didn't change the fact that I was mad and hurt and scared. We had been officially courting each other for those 2 months, not the 17 days. Those 17 days was spent figuring out my feelings since I had felt like a lost ball in a high weed once the thrill of kissing him had passed and then dealing with my parents who were still hoping that I would fall for Edward. Elizabeth was disappointed as well that I wasn't going to marry her son but she seemed to quickly realise that there was no romantic feelings involved with Edward and I. Mama came round to Jasper real quick when she saw us together after we were official courting and Daddy just liked the smile on my face when I was with Jasper. Esme and Carlisle were over the moon about it apparently.

"I know," Jasper finally whispered in response to my statement thrown only in anger. "I'd hate me too."

I looked up from his chest, tears still streaming down my face, and saw that he really did mean it. His eyes weren't sparkling like they always did and he really did look upset, hurt and tired. His hand rose slowly to wipe my tears away as though he expected me to pull away and it did take a lot of strength not to do so.

"Please-please don't leave me," I whispered, "please don't killed, please don't _go_." - I watched as he squeezed his eyes shut at my almost begging turn - "It's a year, Jazz, and then you'll _have_ to go. Why would you lie about your age? Why would you want to go in early? Explain this to me because I really don't understand."

"Bele," he whispered, "you know I have to do this, it's who I am."

I pulled away from him angrily and surprisingly enough he let me go, allowed me to slip out of his arms - I just couldn't bare to look him in the face anymore. He followed as I stopped at little way away, my back to him, crossing my arms across my chest in an effort to hold myself together and stop the shaking that the tears had caused.

"I know you're mad," he said, a step or two behind me - I don't think he dared to touch me, "and I know you're hurt but please understand that I cain't just sit around while others fight. I want to help, I _need_ to help. That don't lessen my love for you a miniscule bit though, Bele, you're my life and, even if you hate me right now, I love you more than anything."

Though the tears were still running down my face the sobbing had, on the main, stopped though I let one out as he told me he loved me. I heard his footsteps walk round me and somewhere within myself found the strength to look back up into his flat brown eyes that weren't as flat as they had been a moment ago. I frowned at him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box, taking my hand and placing it in it.

"Tell me you don't think you can buy acceptance, my happiness, to this?" I asked him tonelessly, staring down at the little box in my hand. Please, please, let him say no because otherwise this boy that I loved so much just didn't know me.

"Course not," he scoffed and I managed to smile slightly using my free hand to wipe a few tears away. "I know you better than that."

"Then what's this?" I closed my hand around the object.

He gave me a look that clearly said 'open it' so I did, slowly. Sitting inside the box was a ring. A pretty ring that I thought I recognised as one of Esme's that she never wore, a silver band with blue stones circling a rose coloured one. I looked up at Jasper.

"It's not a proposal because I have yet to ask yore father's permission," I gaped at him as he spoke - that was the only reason it wasn't a proposal? - and brushed away the last few of my tears, the shock seemed to have stopped them, 'but it's a promise, Bele, I promise that I'll return to you and seek yore father's approval to marry you. You have my word on that. So please, please, don't be mad, there's nothing we can change now anyway so will ya wait for me?"

I stared up into his eyes at the ridiculous question. I may have been mad, furious would have been the better word, at him for enlisting himself a year too early but I already knew there was nothing could be changed now and there was no way I wasn't going to wait every day for him to come home.

"Of course, you muppet," I grinned at him and he seemed to relax ever so slightly.

He took a step toward me and planted a kiss on my lips, slipping the ring onto my right ring finger - it wasn't an engagement.

"So you don't hate me?" he whispered against my lips and I sighed: he really did think that I meant it.

"I could never hate you, Jazz."

I felt him smile before he kissed me again, "I might hold you to that, darlin'."


	10. Chapter 10

He left 23 days later. It was Christmas Eve and the Whitlocks had spent the day over here. Rosalie was spending Christmas with Emmett's family but she spent the day at ours to say goodbye to Jasper whereas Esme and Carlisle were going to also spend Christmas day as well. I wondered what they thought about what Jasper had done and though they hadn't said it outright I got the sense that Esme was mad, like I was, but joined her husband in being proud as well. I wasn't sure yet if I felt proud of Jasper's decision yet, I was too angry and too upset to feel anything other than those two emotions.

I picked at my food the next day and Mary-Alice nudged me to do even that. I could tell she was worried but I couldn't bring myself to reassure her that I would be fine. There seemed to be a part of her that understood though because, although she was now fourteen, she spent the night in my room that night to give me so company. It was probably a good things as well because even with her there I didn't get to sleep until the early hours of the morning.

Edward tried to cheer me up on boxing day. We had a ball that we had to attended and he spent most of it trying to make me laugh or at the very least smile. I did like Edward: when it came to it, he was a good friend. Emmett made an appearance as well but had a lot more success.

The first hit to our band came 104 days after Christmas, 3 months and 14 days later. Emmett's elder brother, Owen, died on April 8th of 1862 at the age of 20, he would have been 21 if he had lived to July. It seemed to rock us all a little but Emmett's family especially.

Since Jasper started courting me, I had gotten to know the McCarty's a bit as well. There was Jackson, the eldest, who was still as war and was 22; then Owen; then Margaret, the eldest girl at 19; Emmett came next, he went to war before Owen died, 27 days after Jasper did having actually waiting till he was 18 before he enlisted, it gave Rose and I something to bond over; then Amelia; Abagail; then Henry at only 11; and finally William, the youngest, being only 9. It was a big family but everyone played their roles and they ran their farm easily.

My life seemed to begin to revolved around people leaving and coming back from war. It was how I measured time now. Jackson was discharged from the war in 1863 on January 15th, it was a Thursday, because of an injury he had sustained. He was ordered out of the army and back to his wife. That was a year and 22 days since I'd seen Jasper or 387 long, lonely and painful days.

Next to go was Edward on July 15th, a Wednesday, having turned 18 on June 20th.

Then, 1 year, 7 months and 19 days later, came the news that Jasper had been promoted to Major. I knew I was proud of him by that point, had told him so in letters, he was the youngest major in the Texas Calvary. That was 596 days since he'd left and my managing without him was beginning to crack.

We'd sent 5 men from our circle out; by the end of 1863: 1 had been discharged, 1 had been killed and 3 were still out there. News didn't come often, it was too dangerous apparently, could compromise positions but it just made me ache for Jasper more. By the end of that year, I was desperate to see his face, to hear his voice, to be able to feel his arms wrap around me and know we were both completely safe. I took to sitting out on the steps up to my covered porch as though he would just appear though I knew he couldn't. He wouldn't just come strolling up the road.

Rose wasn't coping to well either and would sometimes join me, her one year old son in her arms. A son Emmett knew would be born while he was gone, a son he had yet to meet. The boys name was Emmett by the tradition that the first son is named after the paternal grandfather (Emmett's father) - the second son was name after the maternal grandfather and the third son after his father. His middle name was Owen since the boy was born around 6 months after Owen died. He had Rosalie's blonde hair and Emmett's baby blue eye colour plus his facial shape minus the nose which was Rosalie's. I sometimes wonder how Emmett must feel knowing he had a son here, a son that was growing up without it him.

Other times, when we weren't sitting on the front steps, we would try and distract ourselves. Sometimes it was by taking little Emmett to the park or whatever he wanted to do. He provided a very good distraction since he was so hyper and was always on the go even at one. I could tell Rosalie had her work cut out with that one but it was her dream to have kids with the man she loved. I just hoped she got the other part of it which was to grow old with the man she loved and watch their grandchildren together.

1864, thank the heavens, brought no more causalities for us though a woman round the corner lost both of her sons to diseases out there. I brought her food and flowers from my family and at her request sat and read to her for a while every evening. It seemed to help her and provided myself with a nice distraction so I kept doing it until it got the point where she didn't even have to ask.

Christmas that year was quiet. Rosalie and little Emmett were with the McCarty's but Carlisle and Esme where with us again. For some reason I found it some comforting having Jasper's parents so close by.


	11. Chapter 11

**Arh! My laptop went in for repair and now I've lost half of this chapter and a bit of the next - typically. I really liked it as well. Not my day today - happened with one of my blogs as well :'(**

Eventually Jasper did come home, as did Edward and Emmett, 3 years, 4 months and 16 days after he'd left or rather 176 weeks or 1233 days or, if you really wanted to go down the minuscule details, 29,592 hours or, even further, 1,777,520 minutes or perhaps even to the second? He returned after 106,531,200 agonisingly painful seconds filled with longing, pain and distractions.

It was a Wednesday that my beloved Major returned to me, still dressed in his army attire. It was May and the flowers were out, the sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the blue sky, Mary-Alice and I were sat on the porch, Mama was out shopping and Daddy was at work. I can remember it perfectly. Mary-Alice had finally admitted to liking Edward, who returned a few hours after Jasper, and I had grinned, laughed and told her he was all hers. I had moved my gaze slowly across the surroundings intending to go back to the sock darning I was doing for Mama when I caught the first glimpse of him.

His hat was on his head, one hand was jammed in his pocket, the other swinging at his side. His strides were long and full of purpose. A smile was pulling at the edge of his lips. His blond hair was long and shaggier, now falling to his shoulders though before it hadn't, having covered his collar completely but was just too short to be considered at his shoulders. He had matured a tiny bit more in those three years going from a seventeen year old teenager to a twenty year old man. There were scratches on his face, I had some how been able to see that from even that distance.

I was on my feet and running before Mary-Alice could ever register my distraction from my job and our conversation but Jasper's eyes had been on me all along.

"Bele!" he called as I ran toward him, hitching my skirt up so I could run easier, his tone laced with relief and happiness. Something washed over me at heaving his voice for the first time in three years, a sense: of calmness, of safety, a sense that I could finally relax and stop worrying.

His pace picked up slightly but I could tell he was far too exhausted to run so I just tried to run faster, to close the gap between us as quickly as possible.

"Jasper, Jasper, Jasper!" I called breathlessly as I got closer to him feeling my throat close up from tears. Knowing what was coming he stopped and braced himself just before I flew into his arms, knocking his hat onto the floor. He was taller than he had been and my feet dangled a few inches of the ground but he wrapped his arms around my waist so I didn't fall, burrowing his face in my hair he swung me around. I laughed. Only speaking again when my feet were firmly back on the ground though my arms stayed locked around his neck. "You're back."

"I missed you," the words were barely a whisper, so softly spoken but with such emotion that no soul would dare doubt them.

I pressed myself closer to him, loosening my arms around his neck to snake them round his waist and hold on tightly. I could feel tears burning behind my eyes but I didn't want to cry. His arms wrapped tightly around me as well, keeping me as close to him as possible, and I relished in that feeling and everything I feared I would lose: of his strong arms around me, his fingers curled into the fabric on my dress, of his warmth and scent, of his cheek resting on top of my head, the sound of his heart beating steadily if not calmly under my ear, of his chest rising and falling as he breathed. He was safe and he was alive and he was home. I pressed my lips together and squeezed my eyes shut in a vain attempt not to cry.

He pulled back slightly but I didn't let him speak instead pushing myself up to press my lips urgently to his - I felt him smile and found myself beaming as his arms tightened impossible tighter, one hand rising to rest on the back on my head. He returned my kiss with the same intensity and I was surprised we didn't hear any complaints from the people around us for being improper.

"I love you," I whispered around our fevered kisses. "So much."

I didn't get a vocal response instead I got picked off the ground again and we moved in a slow circle, kissing the entire time. My arms weren't around his waist anymore they had long since moved into his hair but as he put me down I wrapped my hands around the collar of his army jacket to keep him close. He chuckled but there was no way I was letting go of him.

Unsurprisingly, it was him who had to break the kiss.

"Darlin'," he whispered and my insides flipped at hearing the term of endearment of his lips. I kissed him again. "Darlin'" - kiss - "I love you - and I - missed you - however we - really should stop."

He was still grinning and still returning all the kisses that I bestowed upon him as though he couldn't help himself - he really didn't mean his words that was clear. Even after his sentence I kept kissing and he didn't stop responding enthusiastically but eventually he, sadly, seemed to gather his sense and pushed me gently away by the waist. Not very far, nowhere near to letting go and I could still feel the heat his body was radiating, but enough that I could no longer attack him with kisses. He beamed down at me and rested his forehead against mine.

"Propriety, Darlin'," he chuckled quietly though it was clear he didn't really care about it, he rose his voice louder as he moved his gaze reluctantly from my face, as he spoke I just watched him taking in the face I had missed so much. "Sorry, folks, lovely to see ya'll. Go on with your days, it's a beautiful one."

"It is a beautiful day," I agreed looking up into his brown eyes which were alit and dancing though there was some change in them that I was sure came from the last three years at war, "but that has nothing to do with weather."

He leant down an immeasurable amount and then stopped. I laughed lightly: clearly he didn't trust me to let him go if I got his lips back.

"C'mon," my smile softened from its beam as I laced my fingers with his and pulled him toward the house where I could see Mary-Alice standing on her feet with a wide, pretty smile that lit up her little face.

Jasper reached down and picked up his hat from where it had fallen when I knocked it off his head and walked with me towards the house, lifting our laced finger to press a kiss to my hand.

**It was so tempting to have him put his hat on her head but that just seemed cheesy and overdone, something I really didn't want this chapter to be because I think it's such an important chapter that a lot of people write one-shots off. There's the cliché was to write and I trying desperately to avoid that, not sure if I succeed.**

**Right I'm going to read through the chapters and then publish them and then I'll get around to writing the epilogue, my laptops going to restart soon so this is almost a race… I failed :(**


	12. Chapter 12 - Epilogue

**And here's the Epilogue. **

"Bele!" his voice called upstairs. "C'mon, darlin', we're going to be late."

"I'ma comin'," I called down to him brushing off my dress and rising from my dressing table in our room. I hurried across the landing to the top of the stairs to see Jasper leaning on the bottom post his attention now on our 4 year old daughter who had inherited his wavy golden blond hair that she was having him clip out the way. Our younger son hovered at his side, brown eyes glancing around the room impatiently - I think he's been far too much time with it because neither Jasper or I were that impatient.

"Wow, Mama, you look so pweety," my daughter noticed me at the top of the stairs - she had yet to get her 'r's right. "Doesn't she, Daddy?"

I laughed as she prompted Jasper to turn and compliment me, starting to make my way down the stairs. He turned round slowly and smiled up at me, that twinkle of mischief in his brown eyes that I loved shining brighter than normal.

"You look the same," he said with a straight face and I rose one eyebrow at him, now only a step off the ground. I saw our daughter throw out the corner of my eyes at her father's response. Jasper's face broke into a smile, "which is to say, beautiful."

I felt my blush coat my cheeks thickly and Jasper chuckled, placing one foot on the bottom step to lean and kiss my cheek. He loved that he could still make me blush bright crimson. Savannah, our daughter (Jasper and I hadn't gone with the traditional naming instead naming her Savannah Renesmee Whitlock), giggled at the same time, the high sound contrasting with her father's deep chuckles, my son however didn't find it so amusing, probably because I'd passed the impossible-to-hide blush along to him.

"Thank you," I gave him a soft smile, trying to ignore the feeling in my stomach that was still there even after being married five years and I often wondered if it would ever leave but always quickly came to the conclusion that I hoped not and I highly doubted it would, not with Jasper. My love for him and my reactions to him hadn't faded one bit since the day we met at my debutante.

"C'mon, let's go," Jasper offered me his hand. "Mama's goin' to be furious: we're goin' to be late."

Esme was being her usual family-oriented-self and was insisting the whole family came for dinner meaning Jasper, me and our children along with Rosalie and her two Emmetts were all going to the farm tonight to eat. Honestly Jasper and I lived the closest since we still actually lived on the farm, far enough away from his parents for privacy but close enough that Jasper could still help Carlisle who was starting to age now on the farm every day. Esme loved having them so close especially the kids and I quite liked it as well being so close to Esme and Carlisle who had always been like second parents to me.

Mary-Alice still lived in the centre of the city with Mama and Daddy but she was moving out as soon as she and Edward got married - they were engaged for the moment. Edward had been quite surprised to find out her feelings for him. She was 17 when he returned and quite different from the 15 year-old she had been when he left. He had walked into the house a few hours after Jasper had returned with his parents to join the growing number of people in the house - Jasper hadn't been to see his parents before coming to mine so they had been quickly sent for - and Mary-Alice had literally flown at him and placed a kiss on his lips. He had frozen in surprise but Jasper kicked him in the back of the leg - a friendly response that made me wonder back then if they had gotten to know each other while at war - but instead of kissing her like I had inwardly hoped he'd do, he lead her out of the house. To this day, I have no idea where they went but Mary-Alice came back smiling and her lips were very clearly swollen from being kissed, not to mention her ears turned red as soon as I rose an eyebrow at her just like Daddy's did when he was embarrassed.

I had spent most of that evening curled in Jasper's embrace on the sofa and was not willing to let him out of my slight in case he disappeared and was just an illusion or a dream. It took me a long time to get past that and sometimes I still wake up at night thinking his return was just a dream and that he was still gone or, worse, dead. Now, I could look over though and see him sleeping peacefully beside me, an arm usually slung over my waist, his curls array and his face more relaxed than you would ever see when he was awake. I usually kiss him softly and then snuggled back down into bed, though closer than I had been before just so I could feel his body and know he was there - generally his arms tighten to keep me there and the terrified feeling soon leaves as I drift off to sleep.

Back then I couldn't do that though but the first night he returned, he and his parents stayed here. I didn't know that until the morning when I woke up on the sofa next to him after the best night's sleep I had had in three years.

I think Jasper still wakes up in the middle of the night as well though I lot less rarely than I do because on occasion I'll wake up to the pressure of his hands caressing my face or a soft kiss pressed to my lips or forehead.

Jasper had wasted no time asking Daddy for my hand in marriage and Daddy apparently hadn't even paused in agreeing to it. So we were married so quickly. We were married before I even turned 20 in the September of the year he returned though not by much. I was only a week away from being 20 but we were so tired of being apart from each other that we wanted to be married as quickly as possible.

"Bele," Jasper clicked his fingers in front of my face, "shall we go?"

"Yeah," I beamed at him, slipping my hand into his loving the way the skin tingled at his touch.

We slowly made our way out the door and allowed the kids to run ahead of us through the fields, Savannah's long her waving behind as she run and their laughter echoing around, as we walked hand and hand through the dusk light towards his parents' house.


End file.
